‘Grow too quickly, and you’ll lose control of service delivery’
Why the managing director of OSS Commercial Flooring believes fulfilling client expectations is more important than chasing increased turnover
OSS Commercial Flooring, based in Northwich, Cheshire, is a specialist commercial flooring contractor and part of the wider OSS Group, which also includes reactive maintenance, electrical services and managed facilities support. The flooring division is led by managing director Dave Caldwell, who has been involved with the business for nearly 14 years.
Dave originally worked with On-Site Services before the OSS Group structure was formed and later joined the group formally when the flooring division was established. Prior to that, he co-ran a commercial flooring installation business in Northwich, regularly working for On-Site Services.
‘I could see where the group wanted to go and the vision they had for the business,’ he says. ‘It seemed like the right time for me to step in and be part of something bigger.’
OSS Commercial Flooring has operated as a dedicated division for around 10 years. The company employs nine core staff, a size Dave believes allows the business to maintain control and high standards.
‘I like to keep the business at a size where we can manage everything properly,’ he explains. ‘If you grow too quickly, you can lose control of the service delivery. For me, it’s more important that clients get exactly what they expect than simply chasing turnover.’
To support larger or more specialist projects, the company relies on a network of trusted subcontractors.
‘I only use people I know well and trust,’ says Dave. ‘They’re usually very experienced, so I can hand them a job and almost let them manage it themselves. I just check in to make sure everything’s moving smoothly.’
The company achieved turnover of just under £2m last year, a milestone Dave was pleased to reach.
‘We’re not going to reach that this year so far — the first part of the year was really quiet. January through to May was particularly slow, but things have picked up since, and the order book looks good.’
OSS Commercial Flooring specialises in a broad range of floorcoverings, including luxury vinyl tile (LVT), sheet vinyl, carpet tiles, traditional carpet installations and laminate flooring. The company also installs specialist products such as Whiterock wall cladding, enabling it to offer more complete project packages. Ceramics and resin flooring are not part of its offering.
‘LVT has really crept into our projects,’ Dave explains. ‘Three years ago, it might have appeared in one out of 10 jobs; now it’s closer to one in three. Everyone wants herringbone, especially in receptions.’
While demand for LVT continues to grow, Dave has concerns about some lower-cost imported products.
‘I see more low-cost LVT coming in from China, and some of it isn’t very good. It might look fine at first, but I’m not convinced it will last. We always try to guide our clients towards something durable and reliable without pushing them to the most expensive option.’
The popularity of herringbone designs can also create practical challenges.
‘Polysafe brought their Wood FX herringbone range into standard rolls, which are two metres wide — a nightmare to work with. You can end up wasting up to 40% of material if you’re not careful. I’ve lost projects because clients didn’t understand why it was expensive. It’s tricky, but it’s what people want.’
Although the company occasionally undertakes domestic projects, commercial work accounts for around 95% of turnover.
‘Domestic projects are fine, but they’re a lot of hassle if you try to chain them together. We only take them on selectively. Seeing a client thrilled with the finished result is rewarding, but our bread and butter is commercial work.’
Care homes form a significant part of the company’s portfolio, with several long-standing relationships helping OSS Commercial Flooring establish a national presence.
‘We work directly for two major care home providers,’ says Dave. ‘One of them, we originally worked for through a main contractor. The contractor went bust and left us about £15,000 in retention over two jobs. But we kept in touch with the client, offered our services elsewhere, and now we work with them across 13 homes. Another provider has 25–30 homes nationwide.’
Education is another key sector, with schools and colleges generating concentrated workloads during holiday periods.
‘Summer, Easter and Christmas are all busy periods. We also carry out phased projects during term time to minimise disruption, which requires careful planning.’
The company also undertakes specialist installations for temporary structures, including seasonal Royal Mail marquees.
‘Thousands of square metres of vinyl flooring go down in six weeks, year after year,’ Dave explains. ‘It’s intensive, but it keeps us busy and showcases our capabilities.’
Retail spaces, restaurants and shops make up the remainder of the workload.
Despite the company’s national reach and growing demand for products such as LVT, Dave remains committed to a hands-on approach and controlled growth.
‘I don’t have ambitions to make the business massive,’ he says. ‘My priority is to deliver jobs properly and stay in control. If you can’t oversee the service, you shouldn’t be taking on the work. We want to be the best we can at the size we are.’
